JERUSALEM, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Israeli negotiators met on Sunday with Egyptian officials in Cairo to discuss the hostages issue, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said.

"Under the directive of Prime Minister Netanyahu, representatives of the negotiation team are currently meeting in Egypt with senior Egyptian officials to discuss the issue of the hostages," the statement said.

The talks come amid deep differences between Israel and Hamas over the terms of the next phase of the fragile ceasefire. The first phase, beginning on Jan. 19, concluded on March 1, but Israel would not proceed with the second phase of the agreement, and both sides have been unable to agree on new terms for the next stage of the ceasefire.

During the first phase, 33 hostages -- including the bodies of eight deceased, have been released from Gaza, and about 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees held in Israeli jails were freed. Enditem

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